Robertson County, Texas

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: robertson_county, Texas us_history

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Welcome to Robertson County, Texas Project!

• Texas Space Page
• The current leader of this project is: Mary Richardson.

Contents 1 History/Timeline 2 Government Offices 3 Demographics 3.1 Adjacent counties 4 Geography 4.1 Protected areas 4.2 Cities 4.2.1 Town/unincorporated communities 4.3 Formed From 5 Resources 6 Census 7 Notables 8 Land Grants 9 Cemeteries 10 Sources

History/Timeline

Statue of Robertson.

• Robertson County was created from Robertson Colony ( one of the impresario colonies) in 1837and organized in 1838 by the Republic of Texas. It subdivided into many others later and named for pioneer Sterling Clack Robertson.^[1]

10,000–6,000 B.C. Artifacts have been found here of Paleo-Indian ( and Archaic (6,000–200 B.C.). This points to occupation for over 10,000 years. The Tawakoni, Tonkawa and Waco Indians, Comanches, Kiowas, and Lipan-Apaches hunted buffalo near the Brazos and Trinity rivers. ^[2]

1690 -Domingo Terán de los Ríos passed through on his way to NE Texas.

1760 Domingo Ramon came through to found the Spanish missions of East Texas. Priests came through for supplies. No permanent settlements were made. ^[2]

1822 - 6 families built a small settlement near the Little River.

1823 Sterling C. Robertson and his cousin Felix Robertson ( of Tennessee), explored as they wanted to apply for an empresario contract.

April 15, 1825 -Another man, Robert Leftwich, received a contract to bring in 800 families as an agent to the Texas Association from Tennessee near the the Old San Antonio Road and Comanche Trace. This man had to resign from the investment group.^[2]

1825 - Dr. Felix Robertson became the president of the investment after he explored and surveyed Robert Leftwich's land grant. Felix Robertson brought in (30) people from Tennessee who settles near the Brazos River. ^[2]

1827 The Mexican government approved Hosea League as an Empresario. The colony was supposed to almost be equal to Stephen F Austin’s group. They set up an office in San Felipe de Austin.

Here's an image.

Oct 10, 1830 - Sterling C. Robertson assumed authority as the company agent, thus replaced the Texas League. Robertson's attempts to bring settlers into the area, however, were hampered by the Laws passed by Mexico.

Early 1830's - Sterling C. Robertson worked to bring settlers to the area and make the project a success. He put up his own money to finance the venture, recruited, made trips to gain the interest of settlers, and escorted many to the area. It became known as "ROBERTSON'S COLONY". Finally groups of colonists began to settle in the area.^[2]"ROBERTSON'S COLONY"was (100 miles wide and 200 miles long) . This began with the San Antonio Road to Nacogdoches, including the Brazos River and stretched from Fort Worth to Austin.

1831 - Stephen F Austin requested permission from the Mexican government for a grant covering the land already awarded to the early Texas Association. The Mexican authorities did convey to Austin and a new partner, Samuel Williams the right to colonize the area already granted to Sterling C Robertson.^[2]

Sterling C Robertson

1831 Sterling Clack Robertson challenged in courts this action and in the Texas legislature after 1836. Courts and Texas Legislature sustained Robertson's claims. Result-- the Austin/Williams contract was voided. Sterling Clack Robertson's claims were recognized as well as the land titles of Nashville company. ^[2][3]

1832 James Dunn constructed a fort at Old Cobb Prairie^[2]

1835- 1840 Andrew Cavitt, Liston Purdy, Joseph Webb, and James R. Robertson (large parcels owners) built their plantations in the Brazos valley. In 1840 cotton was being grown.^[2]

March, 1836 - Runaway Scrape in March, 1836. Much of the area was abandoned, but after the Texan victory at the battle of San Jacinto it was quickly reoccupied.^[3]

May 19, 1836 - An Indian attack on Fort Parker, resulted in Cynthia Ann Parker, (mother of Chief Quanah Parker) was taken captive. ^[3]

Sterling C Robertson.

By 1837-38 -After the Texas Revolution - The Republic of Texas split up the vast "ROBERTSON'S COLONY"nwas (100 miles wide and 200 miles long) . This began with the San Antonio Road to Nacogdoches, including the Brazos River and stretched from Fort Worth to Austin.^[3]The Republic of Texas divided the huge Sterling C. Robertson's ROBERTSON COLONY into 16 counties: Bastrop, Bell, Brazos, Burleson, Burnet, Comanche, Coryell, Falls, Hamilton, Lampasas, Lee, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Robertson, and Williamson counties were created from the huge ROBERTSON'S COLONY. ^{[3][4][5] [6]}

Empresario colonies.

{{blue|Robertson county was created from Milam, Bexar, and Nacogdoches counties and naming it in honor of Sterling C. Robertson. Organization of the county the following year, the settlement of Franklin (usually referred to as Old Franklin today became county seat. ^[3][7][8]

1838 The Indian raids, slowed after 1838, when a company of Texas Rangers commanded by Eli Chandler was stationed at Old Franklin.

1846 - Robertson county became the size it is today.

1850s the plantation-type economy, based on cottonwas present. Residents voted to move the county seat from Old Franklin to Wheelock due to this town being the most heavily populated areas of the area. ^[3]

1856 -The county seat was once again moved, to a new town, Owensville.Civil War

1850- Public schools opened, then suspended during Civil War.^[2]

1861 Robertson County resembled other southern states in the crops, with a large number of slaves and slaveowners.

1861 County residents supported secession, as well as large numbers of volunteers for Company C, Fourth Texas Regiment, Hood's Texas Brigade. With the large number of slaveholders, the county residents staunchly supported the Southern cause.^[2]

1861-65 Company C, Fourth Texas Regiment, Hood's Texas Brigade, saw service at Gaines Mill, 2nd Manassas, the Wilderness, Gettysburg, and Chickamauga, recruited in Robertson County.

Slavery Slavery movement

1862-65- Robertson county residents supplied beef, grain, and flour from their specially built flour mill at Hearne constructed for this purpose.

Sterling C Robertson Plantation

1866-1870 - Robertson county experienced the trauma of the post war depression.. Prior to the war slaves were almost 50% of taxable property. This loss led to a decline also in farm and plantation values. Many plantations were closed. African Americans experienced a worse effect.

1860-1880s Railways arrived.. Houston and Texas Central Railway built through late 1860s.

towns built near railways, and some were abandoned:. Wheelock, Owensville, Nashville, Sterling,

1866 The first Union Church was founded at Wheelock before the Civil War. ^[2]

1867 8 public Schools reopened, and in the years prior to the Civil War several churches operated private schools. The first public schools reopened in the late 1850s. During the Civil War public education was suspended.

July 12, 1870 Republican-controlled 12th Legislature voted to relocate the county seat from Owensville to Calvert. African Americans were supported by Anglo Republican allies and had some political power. ^[2]

1870s- Catholic churches arrived with the railroad in the 1870s to serve the Irish workmen who built and operated the railroads to the Polish immigrants who settled at Bremond. St. Mary's Catholic Church was located in Hearne, Anglos regained the political power, disenfranchised African-Americans. ^[2]

1873 - Yellow fever epidemic.

1870-s -mid 1890s Hearne and Calvert had an African American majority, and resisted all white domination.^[2]

1878 residents voted to move the county seat to Morgan, on the railroad near the geographical center of the county. The town was renamed Franklin in honor of the 1st county seat.^[2]

1880 International-Great Northern linked with the Houston and Texas Central at Hearne. ^[2]

1880-1910 - the railroads and the steady growth in population led to a resurgence of the county's agricultural economy. Cotton, corn, and cattle, main agriculture products continued to be the leading crops.^[2]

Pre1880 Brazos valley farmers traveled to the Southern states and recruited African Americans for farm hands. Recruits arrived 1880-1890s. Result African Americans were 53% of the population.^[2]

1896 - Anglos guarded the various polling places throughout the county with rifles, pistols, and sticks, turning away blacks who tried to vote. Following this election black voters failed to return to the polls. Poll tax and the "White Primary disfranchised the African Americans.ICounty voting totals plummeted; 5,500 citizens cast their votes in 1896.

1904 less than 1,500 returned to the polls.

1910-- 29% of farmers owned the land they worked, while over 60% were tenant farmers.

1910 the population of the county fell by more than 4,000, to 27,454. Much of the rural African Americans left to find work in the cities of the North.

1925- Acreage rose to150,000 acres devoted to cotton. This was triple acreage, but production only doubled. Robertson county farmers ginned 30,000 bales cotton until the Great Depression. Corn was a poor second. They had not been taught to rotate crops or allow 1/4 land to be fallow for a year. Stock raising remained the dominant agriculture product. ^[2] Large land farms/plantation were divided into small farms that could be farmed by former slaves, poor white farms or immigrants as sharecrop.^[2]

1930s Great Depression -Robertson County was hit farmers severely. Farmers saw falling cotton prices, the combined factors of soil depletion, boll weevil infestation. ^[2]

World War II end brought some prosperity due to increased demand and prices for agricultural products.^[2]

1944- Oil was discovered in the county, adding income for some landowners.^[2]

late 1940s-1950s- Changes in farming to rotation of crops, allowing 1/4 of land to lie fallow. ^[2]

1960s-70s Livestock raising became predominant for farmers raising beef, dairy cattle, hogs, horses, and poultry.^[2]

1990s -there were five school districts, with six elementary, one middle, and four high schools. Average daily attendance was 2,800. Beef and dairy cattle were the largest source of income. Leading crops included cotton, sorghums, small grains, watermelons, and corn. Leading industries were agribusinesses, brick manufacturing, and a power-generating plant. Other important sources of revenue included oil and natural gas and lignite mining. ^[2]

Government Offices

The county was created in 1837 and named for its empresario and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, Sterling Clack Robertson

By 1827 - Bastrop, Bell, Brazos, Burleson, Burnet, Comanche, Coryell, Falls, Hamilton, Lampasas, Lee, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Robertson, and Williamson counties were created from ROBERTSON'S COLONY.

1882 Robertson courthouse, restored.

HISTORY- Courthouses

1st county seat - was called “Old Franklin” and named for the pioneer Will Franklin.

1st courthouse and jail were built 1839.^[9]

1846 - 16 new counties were created from the land of Robertson county.

1850 - Old Franklin had lost many settlers. A new county seat was selected - Wheelock near the old San Antonio Road.

2nd courthouse- 1850 ^[9]

1855 - Residents petitioned for new county seat- Owensville, which was near the center of the county. ^[9]

1856 - 3rd county courthouse was built in Owensville ( a replica of the former courthouse, included a staircase on the exterior).^[9]

Post Civil War - Robertson county was in political turmoil. Black leaders (backed by Republican backers tried to move the county seat to Calvert. It also had a railroad nearby. They rented a house for offices, and used another building for court. An impressive jail was built in 1875.

1872 - Morgan was founded at the center of the county and was on another Railroad. ^[9] Morgan eventually was renamed Franklin. A courthouse was never built. Image is the Hammond House, marked courthouse, but was the jail.^[9]

1881-1882 - Second Empire style design courthouse was built in Franklin. It was 3-story stone buildinge, with Mansard roofs, a clock tower dome. This resembled other courthouses designed by Ruffini, such as Hays and Williamson.^[9]

1923 - Courthouse was remodeled. The roof became flat, surrounded with “Alamo” parapets. ^[9]

Robertson county courthouse.

2010-2011 - Remodeling, restoring the original type of roof. again with a rear annex.^[9]

Demographics

Coahuila, Texas Colony and Empresario Grants.

Highways

U.S. Highway 79

U.S. Highway 190

Texas State Highway 6

Texas State Highway 7

Texas State Highway 14

Density of the county's population density was 19 people per square mile. Predominant races are 66.20% White, 24.19% Black or African American, with 14.7% of the population being Hispanic. ^[10]

The county doubled in inhabitants during 1860 and 1870, increasing from 4,997 to 9,990. In 1880 the population had doubled again, rising to 22,383 in 1880. One reason for the rapid increase in population was a steady influx of white farmers from the states of the Old South, attracted to the county by its abundance of rich land. Another reason for increase is the farmers needed field hands, and hired many black farmers so that by 1880 the Black population was 53 percent of the total population.

cotton

Economy: Agribusiness( cotton, corn, hay, poultry, beef, and government/services, oil and gas.^[11]20,000 Acres cropland is irrigated.

Elections began to show the large percentage of black population. By 1896, the white race was endeavoring to regain control of the voting. They used guards at the polls. In 1900, 1910, some of this black population had moved on to find work in cities. In the 1920-30's depression was hardest on the farmers. Prices dropped, the numbers of farmers dropped. After World War II, prices increased and oil was discovered. However the population has decreased in steadily 1950, 1960, 1980. In 1990 the majority population was almost 65% except this is a very low population compared to early years.^[2]

Politics:

Robertson County has staunchly in the Democratic camp for most of its history. Since the end of Reconstruction Democratic presidential candidates have won nearly every election. From 1960 through 2000 the only Republican presidential candidate to win a majority of votes was Richard Nixon, who outpolled George McGovern by a single ballot in 1972. Democrats also maintained control of the local offices and have generally fared well in statewide races. In the early twenty-first century, however, Republicans began to be more competitive in local elections. George W. Bush took the county in the 2004 presidential election with about 55 percent of the vote. ^[12]

An annual temperature is 68° F. Temperatures in January range from an average low of 38° to an average high of 59° F and in July range from 73° to 96° F. Thus the growing season is longer, averaging 265 days per year. ^[13]

Adjacent counties

adj counties

• Limestone County (north)
• Leon County (northeast)
• Brazos County (southeast)
• Burleson County (south)
• Milam County (southwest)
• Falls County (northwest)

• Beef and dairy cattle were the largest source of income.
• Leading crops included cotton, sorghums, small grains, watermelons, and corn.
• Leading industries were agribusinesses, brick manufacturing, and a power-generating plant.

• Revenue included oil and natural gas and lignite mining.

Robertson County is located NE of Austin in the Claypan area of E central Texas. The center of the county is at 31°00' north latitude and 96°30' west longitude, near the county seat of Franklin.

The county is bounded on the north by Limestone and Leon counties, on the east by Brazos and Madison counties, on the south by Burleson County, and on the west by Milam and Falls counties.

The county is bounded on the north by Limestone and Leon counties, on the east by Brazos and Madison counties, on the south by Burleson County, and on the west by Milam and Falls counties.

El Camino Real and Old San Antonio Road.

The county is bounded by the Brazos River in the west, the Navasota River in the east, and the Old San Antonio Road in the south.

Geography

https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr09

Robertson County is 90 miles NE of Austin in the Claypan area of E-central Texas.

County center - 31°00' north latitude and 96°30' west longitude, near the county seat of Franklin.

Location- north by Limestone and Leon counties, on east by Brazos and Madison counties, on south by Burleson County, on W by Milam and Falls counties.

Highways: State Highway 6 crosses the county N to S, U.S. Highway 79 runs E to W.

Railway Union Pacific Railroad follows Hwy 79, and Union Pacific (formerly the Southern Pacific) parallels State Hwy 6, intersecting at Hearne with another Union Pacific branch on W side.

Size - 854 square miles of flat to gently rolling terrain

Elevation - from 250 to 500 feet.

Rivers/Creeks- Brazos River on W, the Navasota River on E, and Old San Antonio Road on S.Trinity River

Terrain -rich river bottoms, upland prairies, and timberland

Vegetation -post oak, black jack oak, cottonwood, elm, pecan, and mesquite trees.

Drainage creeks run toward either the Brazos or the Navasota rivers.

Soil - fertile delta land near Brazos and Little Brazos Rivers. Near Trinity River, soil undulate and roll hills, with dark loamy surface, and light loamy sandy subsoil.

Prime farmland- 1- 10%

Natural resources - lignite coal and oil.

Wildlife squirrels, bats, skunks, gophers, mice, rabbits, armadillos, raccoons, white-tailed deer, opossums, bobcats, coyotes, red, grey foxes, Frogs, toads, poisonous copperhead, cottonmouth, coral snake, rattlesnake, mockingbirds, cardinals, doves, quail, and bluejay.

Climate -subtropical humid, with warm summers and mild winters.

Humidity is 83 percent at 6 A. M.

Rainfall is thirty-eight inches.

Temperature is 68° F average, with January low of 38°to 59° F and in July range from 73° to 96° F. :Growing season averages 265 days per year. https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr09

• Lake Limestone,
• Twin Oaks Reservoir,
• Camp Creek Reservoir.

Protected areas

• Old San Antonio Road i
• Brazos and Navasota rivers
• Lake Limestone, Twin Oaks Reservoir, Camp Creek Reservoir.

Cities

• Franklin (county seat)

• Bremond - known for power plant, coal mining, library, museum, Polish Days
• Calvert - agriculture, tourism, antiques, Maypole festival, tour of homes
• Hearne - known for agribusiness, manufacturing; depot museum, World War II POW camp.

Town/unincorporated communities

• Bald Prairie
• Benchley
• Easterly
• Hammond
• Mumford
• New Baden
• Ridge
• Tidwell Prairie
• Valley Junction
• Wheelock

• • Owensville, Texas --a ghost town

Formed From

Milam, Bexar, and Nacogdoches counties. County was named in honor of Sterling Clack Robertson Empresario of Robertson colony, Signer of Category: Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence.

Resources

Hunting, fishing; historic sites; dogwood trails, wildlife preserves.

• Website: www.co.robertson.tx.us

Census

• 1850 - 934 —
• 1860 - 4,997 435.0%
• 1870 - 9,990 99.9%
• 1880 - 22,383 124.1%
• 1890 - 26,506 18.4%
• 1900 - 31,480 18.8%
• 1910 - 27,454 −12.8%
• 1920 - 27,933 1.7%
• 1930 - 27,240 −2.5%
• 1940 - 25,710 −5.6%
• 1950 - 19,908 −22.6%
• 1960 - 16,157 −18.8%
• 1970 - 14,389 −10.9%
• 1980 - 14,653 1.8%
• 1990 - 15,511 5.9%
• 2000 - 16,000 3.2%
• 2010 - 16,622 3.9%
• Est. 2014 - 16,500

Notables

Sterling Clack Robertson

Land Grants

• Land granted to empressario, Sterling Robertson
• Robertson granted land grants to settlers

Cemeteries

• Bremond Cemetery
• Heards Prairie-Petteway Cemetery
• Calvert City Cemetery
• Gibson Mexican Cemetery

Gibson, Texas

• Little Mississippi Cemetery
• Norwood Cemetery

• Cemeteries of Robertson county, Gloria Mayfield
• FindaGrave Cemeteries, Robertson county, Texas
• Find a Grave more Cemeteries

Sources

1. ↑ https://texasalmanac.com/index.php?q=topics/government/robertson-county
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27} https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr09
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6} Land Grants in the Robertson Colony Area, by MALCOLM D MCLEAN, THE Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Vol 91, No.19jul, 1987, pp 33-68
4. ↑ Guide to Robertson's Colony Records
5. ↑ Papers concerning Robertson's Colony in Texas
6. ↑ Genealogical Records in Texas, pg 35
7. ↑ Guide to Robertson's Colony Records
8. ↑ Papers concerning Robertson's Colony in Texas
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8} http://www.texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsSouth/Franklin-Texas-Robertson-County-Courthouse.htm by Terry Jeanson
10. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_County,_Texas
11. ↑ http://texasalmanac.com/topics/government/robertson-county
12. ↑ https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr09
13. ↑ https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr09

• A pictorial history of Texas, from the earliest visits.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_County,_Texas
• Robertson county TXGen
• http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~south1/bound.htm
• [http://www.texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsSouth/Franklin-Texas-Robertson-County-Courthouse.htm by Terri Jeanson
• Handbook of Texas Online, James L. Hailey and Christopher Long, "Robertson County," accessed July 14, 2016, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr09. Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Modified on February 15, 2016. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.